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Fly Biology, Ecology, Behavior and Management—2nd Edition
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Fly Biology, Ecology, Behavior and Management—2nd Edition

A special issue of Insects (ISSN 2075-4450).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 November 2025) | Viewed by 7216

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Sérgio M. Ovruski

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratorio de Investigaciones Bioecoetológicas de Moscas de la Fruta y sus Enemigos Naturales (LIEMEN), División Control Biológico de Plagas, PROIMI Biotecnología, CCT NOA Sur-CONICET, Avda. Belgrano y Pje, Caseros, San Miguel de Tucumán T4001MVB, Argentina
Interests: fruit flies; parasitoids; insect biology and ecology; biological control; integrated pest management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Flávio Roberto Mello Garcia

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Departamento de Ecologia, Instituto de Biologia, Zoologia e Genética, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas 96010900, RS, Brazil
Interests: fruit flies; natural enemies; biological control; ecology of insects; agriculture entomology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Diptera, known as “true” flies, are one of the most numerous and diverse orders of insects, comprising about 125,000 species widely distributed across the world. These insects play an ecologically relevant role and are essential to humans. Flies act as pollinators, decomposers, predators, and parasitoids; others are vectors of human diseases and represent severe agriculture pests, stables, and barnyards. Several dipterans are involved in forensic legal investigations. Considering the success of the previous Special Issue, we are pleased to launch a second edition on the same topic, covering the biological, ecological, and behavioral knowledge of this diversified insect group and management strategies for both pest and disease vector species. This involves a wide range of studies, such as life history, physiological aspects, reproduction, demographic traits, the ecology and evolution of behavioral patterns, population fluctuation and dynamics, diversity, abundance, trophic relationships, host range and status, natural enemies, integrated pest management, and control tactics.

Dr. Sérgio M. Ovruski
Dr. Flávio Roberto Mello Garcia
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Insects is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • life history
  • population dynamics
  • behavioral ecology
  • insect physiology
  • plant–insect interaction
  • human–insect relationship
  • domestic animal–insect association
  • pest and vector species management
  • forensic entomology

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 1187 KB  
Article
Flight Characteristics of Bactrocera dorsalis Associated with Long-Distance Migration
by Naoya Hidaka, Kohei Nishiya, Yudai Masuoka, Akiya Jouraku, Yong-Jun Yang, Chia-Jung Ho, Yu-Bing Huang and Akira Otuka
Insects 2026, 17(2), 203; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects17020203 - 14 Feb 2026
Viewed by 522
Abstract
Recently, individuals of the oriental fruit fly and its relatives (Bactrocera dorsalis complex)—previously eradicated in Japan—have occasionally been captured in surveillance traps in the Kyushu District of western Japan, suggesting possible overseas migration. However, as this species generally is not considered capable [...] Read more.
Recently, individuals of the oriental fruit fly and its relatives (Bactrocera dorsalis complex)—previously eradicated in Japan—have occasionally been captured in surveillance traps in the Kyushu District of western Japan, suggesting possible overseas migration. However, as this species generally is not considered capable of long-distance flight, its potential for overseas migration remains largely unexplored. Moreover, this emerging situation in East Asia poses an increasing risk to agricultural industries, highlighting the need to develop a migration prediction model to provide early warnings of their arrival, for which understanding the species’ flight characteristics is essential. In this study, flight experiments were conducted using young first-generation adults that emerged from larvae collected in Taiwan. Outdoor observations revealed that B. dorsalis actively initiates flight around 10:00 and sunset. Flight mill experiments under varying temperature conditions indicated that flight activity ceased at temperatures between 16.2 and 16.5 °C. Furthermore, a 24-h flight test demonstrated that some individuals were capable of sustaining flight for over 7 h, suggesting a potential capacity for long-distance migration. These findings contribute to the development of a migration flight model and enhance our understanding of the flight behavior associated with long-distance migration in B. dorsalis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fly Biology, Ecology, Behavior and Management—2nd Edition)
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17 pages, 4171 KB  
Article
Sexual Development of Silba adipata (Diptera: Lonchaeidae): Effects of Diet, Ultraviolet Light and Fig Latex
by Ricardo Díaz-del-Castillo, Guadalupe Córdova-García, Diana Pérez-Staples, Andrea Birke, Trevor Williams and Rodrigo Lasa
Insects 2025, 16(5), 495; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16050495 - 5 May 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1597
Abstract
The black fig fly, Silba adipata McAlpine (Diptera: Lonchaeidae), is a monophagous invasive pest of fig crops. Its recent detection in Mexico has highlighted the urgent need for control strategies. However, efforts to study and manage this pest are constrained by a limited [...] Read more.
The black fig fly, Silba adipata McAlpine (Diptera: Lonchaeidae), is a monophagous invasive pest of fig crops. Its recent detection in Mexico has highlighted the urgent need for control strategies. However, efforts to study and manage this pest are constrained by a limited understanding of its basic biology and an inability to rear this insect in the laboratory. Some species of flies are reproductively immature at adult emergence and require specific nutrients for the development of reproductive structures. Given this, we examined the development of ovaries and testes in response to different adult diets, ovary maturation in relation to access to figs and ultraviolet (UV) light exposure and behavioral responses to fig latex. Dietary protein (hydrolyzed yeast) was essential for egg maturation. The highest prevalence of sexual maturity in females was observed at age 21 days and was not influenced by UV light or access to figs. Male testes size decreased over time irrespective of the adult diet. The consumption of latex increased when protein was not available, although the sexes differed in their response to latex over time. These findings help overcome a critical barrier to the laboratory colonization of S. adipata by demonstrating that protein-supplemented diets are essential for sexual maturation. However, the lack of information on the specific role of fig latex in the diet and the absence of sexual behavior during the experiments highlight key knowledge gaps. Future research should focus on identifying those stimuli that promote copulation and oviposition to understand the complete life cycle of this pest under controlled conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fly Biology, Ecology, Behavior and Management—2nd Edition)
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14 pages, 4013 KB  
Article
Imidacloprid Resistance Challenges in Brazilian Strains of Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae)
by Felipe Andreazza, Flávio Roberto Mello Garcia, Pedro Bento da Silva, Lucas Bretas Barbosa, Joel Marques de Oliveira, Gabriel Netto Araújo and Eugenio E. Oliveira
Insects 2025, 16(5), 494; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16050494 - 5 May 2025
Viewed by 1364
Abstract
Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) is a relevant pest affecting berries and stone fruits globally, including in the Neotropical region, where its invasion was reported about a decade ago. Despite chemical control being the main management method for D. suzukii, data on insecticide susceptibility [...] Read more.
Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) is a relevant pest affecting berries and stone fruits globally, including in the Neotropical region, where its invasion was reported about a decade ago. Despite chemical control being the main management method for D. suzukii, data on insecticide susceptibility in Neotropical D. suzukii populations are scarce. Here, we assessed the susceptibility of three field-collected Brazilian D. suzukii populations to four insecticides (i.e., deltamethrin, permethrin, spinetoram, imidacloprid) and contrasted this with a standard insecticide-susceptible population. Using the discriminating concentration (LC90) from the standard susceptible population, we identified resistant populations. Synergist exposure (piperonyl butoxide, triphenyl phosphate, diethyl maleate) indicated the role of detoxification enzymes in resistance. Our results showed that deltamethrin was the most toxic, followed by spinetoram, permethrin, and imidacloprid. While all field populations were similarly susceptible to pyrethroids and spinosyns, one population from Minas Gerais (i.e., Paula Candido) had significantly lower imidacloprid susceptibility, with only 53.4 ± 5.2% mortality at 10.0 g/L (the equivalent of 10-fold the estimated imidacloprid LC90). Only piperonyl butoxide increased the imidacloprid susceptibility of Paula Candido flies. Our findings indicate the occurrence of cytochrome P450 enzyme-based imidacloprid resistance in the state of Minas Gerais, which can challenge the management of D. suzukii in Brazil. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fly Biology, Ecology, Behavior and Management—2nd Edition)
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20 pages, 5859 KB  
Article
A Complex of Lance Flies (Diptera: Lonchaeidae) Infesting Figs in Veracruz, Mexico, with the Description of a New Species
by Rodrigo Lasa, Laura Navarro-de-la-Fuente, Iain MacGowan and Trevor Williams
Insects 2025, 16(5), 458; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16050458 - 27 Apr 2025
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1863
Abstract
The black fig fly, Silba adipata, and a complex of Neosilba species have emerged as major fig pests in Veracruz, Mexico. To assess infestation patterns and species composition, we sampled figs during one production cycle (March–October 2024) in two plantations. A total [...] Read more.
The black fig fly, Silba adipata, and a complex of Neosilba species have emerged as major fig pests in Veracruz, Mexico. To assess infestation patterns and species composition, we sampled figs during one production cycle (March–October 2024) in two plantations. A total of 1647 S. adipata (821 females, 826 males) and 1250 Neosilba spp. (628 females, 622 males) emerged from samples. One species, Neosilba recurva, is described as new based on the characteristics of the male genitalia and COI sequencing. Neosilba spp. outnumbered S. adipata in the preharvest period, after which S. adipata became dominant. S. adipata emerged ~14 days earlier than Neosilba spp. Infestation by S. adipata caused uniform fig reddening, while Neosilba spp. produced patchy redness near larval exit holes. Approximately 65% of figs were lost to lonchaeid infestation preharvest. Based on male genitalia, we identified Neosilba batesi and N. recurva sp. nov. (that together comprised 64% of samples), as well as Neosilba sp.1 (26%) and N. glaberrima (10%), but COI sequences revealed greater diversity. Neosilba batesi formed a clade that did not match a Floridan sequence. Neosilba glaberrima clustered near N. pendula from Brazil, but another sequence diverged, suggesting the presence of an additional, undescribed species, Neosilba sp.2? Neosilba recurva and Neosilba sp.1, together with the newly described N. flavitarsis from Veracruz, formed distinct genetic branches, supporting their specific status. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fly Biology, Ecology, Behavior and Management—2nd Edition)
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Review

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23 pages, 1948 KB  
Review
The Black Fig Fly, Silba adipata (Diptera: Lonchaeidae): Current Knowledge and Future Research Needs for an Invasive Pest of Fig Production
by Rodrigo Lasa, Iain MacGowan, Julián Bartual and Trevor Williams
Insects 2026, 17(3), 247; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects17030247 - 26 Feb 2026
Viewed by 679
Abstract
The presence of Silba adipata in countries outside its native range has raised increasing concern among fig (Ficus carica L.) producers due to its growing economic importance. Information on this lonchaeid remains scarce and is frequently fragmented across regional reports, technical documents, [...] Read more.
The presence of Silba adipata in countries outside its native range has raised increasing concern among fig (Ficus carica L.) producers due to its growing economic importance. Information on this lonchaeid remains scarce and is frequently fragmented across regional reports, technical documents, and isolated scientific studies. The lack of consolidated and reliable knowledge on S. adipata, together with its sporadic impacts on figs and frequent confusion with closely related species, has hindered the development of effective and sustainable management strategies. Here, we provide a comprehensive synthesis of the current geographic distribution of S. adipata and its expansion into new areas, addressing diagnostic aspects and potential misidentifications reported in the literature that have the potential to confound distribution records and assessments of its pest status. We critically review current knowledge of the biology, ecology, and behavior of S. adipata, together with existing and emerging management and control approaches, including cultural practices, monitoring tools, mass trapping strategies, and biological- and chemical-based tactics. The strengths and limitations of these approaches are discussed in the context of their applicability to fig production systems. Advancing the management of S. adipata requires not only accurate species identification and evaluation of conventional control methods, but also a deeper understanding of its ecology and sexual behavior. Addressing these knowledge gaps will be essential for the development of innovative, effective, and environmentally sustainable management strategies for this emerging pest. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fly Biology, Ecology, Behavior and Management—2nd Edition)
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